Rating:
- Finding the Flow (yes, no, partial): not really
- Classroom Library (single, book group, whole class): single
As a middle school teacher, I read YA lit in a couple ways. First, I read like a, well, reader. How much I “like” it depends on whether or not I find and stay in the flow. Then, I read for books that I would share with my students. Would I buy one copy for my classroom, five copies for a book group, or a whole class set (because it is that good)?
I listened to this book’s 7 CDs driving home to Chicago from Gulf Shores with my husband (he was a good sport). A few times, he asked me: Is this a good book? Is this what your students read? (These are similar to the questions he asked when I took him to see Twilight.)
I have to admit that I can see some of my students reading and enjoying Lara Jean’s story of how her five secret love letters landed in the hands of her loves (most of them anyway) and how she had a fake relationship with Peter to save face. I think my students will get how “love” can interfere with really getting to know someone.
I think they will like how Lara Jean’s family seems so strong, supporting each other after the death of her mother. I think they will recognize Genevieve, Peter’s ex, as that stereotypical beautiful girl in school with the evil side. And, I think some of my students will like swimming in the story of an upper middle class teen figuring out love for a few hours.
However, I think teen readers will also see, like I did, that Lara Jean’s character is rather flat, even shallow at times. There is a lot of potential for a richer, more thoughtful character here. I really tried to read into Han’s approach to Lara Jean. Margot, Lara Jean’s older sister, took on the role of Mommy –carrying the burden of keeping up traditions, making meals, and encouraging Lara Jean to try new things. I read Lara Jean as stuck at the age when her mom died – like ten-ish. Margot knows Lara Jean is somehow resisting growing up (e.g., she doesn’t want to drive), but when Margot goes away to school in Scotland (why there?), Lara Jean has a chance to take on more responsibility, and yet this is not really central to the story. Lara Jean’s narratorial voice is young, and this was tough to endure at times.
I think Lara Jean’s maturity shifts a bit toward the end of the book (as I told my husband it should), but there were so many opportunities to develop Lara Jean, to build in some reflection or discovery (as teens are capable of doing)– like the car accident, her taking on the mothering role, exploring her Korean culture (being bi-racial was mentioned once and maybe because Han did not want to make this central, which I like), and treating the “sex” part with a bit more nuance. And what about her lying (e.g., the lie about a sister dying of leukemia)? That could have been explored a bit more. I would have liked insights or some grappling. Perhaps the present tense of the narration hindered the potential for development, or perhaps I am reading it wrong. Maybe Han didn’t intend Lara Jean’s insight to be sheltered or stunted because of her mother’s death and father’s absence.
Now, please do not read too much into this next part, but I recognized a little Anne Frank in Lara Jean’s tone and in the names of the characters (e.g., Kitty, Margot, Peter). As I listened to this book, I could hear Anne Frank, and, for me, this may have helped me to the “like” rating of this book on Goodreads . Lara Jean sounds like a teenager. The logic, self-doubt, and sass that was a bit annoying is also pretty true to how teens think, sound, and act. I am not a teenager, and this book was not written for me, an old English teacher.
So while I did not find the flow and will not buy multiple copies of this book for my classroom, I will perhaps buy one copy and see what teens think about it. After all,it is a book about teens for teens, and the fact that it tackles sex, gossip, death, diverse friends, culture, and love while bringing back the beauty and permanence of letter writing (over social media) makes it “like-able.”
As a teacher, however, I feel like, with some students, I only have a few chances (sometimes just one) to hand them a book that will move them to see the world in new ways and maybe even be in the world a little bit more conscious of humanity. I am not sure that liking a book is enough for me.
Yes! I could hear a lot of Anne Frank in this movie.